


Claimed

by captainmazzic (lordtarantula)



Series: The Sith Tribunal AU [5]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: Cross-Faction Romance, Enemies to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Jedi Critical, Lima Syndrome, M/M, Master/Slave, PWP, Plot What Plot, Power Imbalance, Rape, Sexual Slavery, Size Difference, Slavery, Spanking, Stockholm Syndrome, dark side positive, dubcon, extremely sudden bonding, noncon, nonsensical progression of relationship intimacy, ymmv
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-02-09
Packaged: 2019-10-24 02:21:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17695787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lordtarantula/pseuds/captainmazzic
Summary: 3656 BBY. There is total war between the Sith Empire and the Jedi’s Republic. A Jedi siege against the chilly Sith world of Ghas’krull has ended very badly for the Jedi, their ships getting routed and driven off by the arrival of overwhelming Sith reinforcements. The ground forces that the Jedi had already deployed on the planet have been abandoned, and the Sith have actively hunted them down one by one. The last survivor is a Jedi Knight by the name of Syr-Dae Kelara…





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a little fantasy indulgence on my part. It's honestly pretty (read: really fucking) tame, because everyone knows I can't bear to write anything but fluff for more than five minutes. But anyway. Enjoy. Or not, whatevs. Your call. YMMV.

It was a beautiful world. Jagged peaks and sudden valleys formed from the karst that made up nearly all of the planet of Ghas’krull, and the rest was flooded with shallow oceans that froze over in the winter. The steep axial tilt of the planet made the seasons fluctuate widely, with temperate summers and snowy winters flanked by the rains and mists of autumn and spring. Flowers of a myriad of metallic colours blossomed right up until the snow began to fall, and the silvery needles of the conifer trees towered overhead, always heedless of the season.

Syr-Dae Kelara could appreciate such scenic wonder, even as he crouched shivering in the rain that threatened any moment to turn into sleet. The planet’s quiet beauty had often held his attention this past month, between the moments that he had been running for his life and hiding in the underbrush or holes in the ground.

He never should have left the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. He was never cut out for fighting – his honing of the Force was very closely tied to introspection, to connecting with others, and for probing the contemplative side of the Force. But it had been that probing that had brought him to Ghas’krull in the first place.

As a librarian for the Jedi Archives, he had always been fascinated by the different approaches that other cultures or traditions had developed for connecting to the Force. His inquiries were innocent enough, but asking too many questions had raised too many eyebrows and delved too deep for comfort for many of the Masters. He hadn’t _meant_ to equate the Jedi Order with the Followers of Palawa, or the Thuwisten, or the Dagoyan Order… or the Aing-Tii or the Sith, for that matter. He hadn’t _meant_ to imply that the Jedi were just one in a long line of Force traditions, and that theirs was nothing special to the galaxy, other than by virtue of numbers and Republic popularity. He hadn’t _meant_ to suggest that their own tradition was lacking, by suggesting that they should acknowledge and study all other Force traditions that were open to outside inquiry. But in the end it hadn’t really mattered what he had _meant,_ because all the Masters of the Order had _heard_ was the prattle of an oblivious Jedi walking dangerously close to the Dark Side, who was encouraging any visitors to the library and the archives to do the same.

And so he was sent to the front lines. Purportedly so he could accurately document what the fighting truly was like in an invasion of a Sith-held planet, but he was getting the sneaking suspicion that they had just… wanted him out of the way. He had been deployed with the first wave of ground forces, but their reinforcements never came and the Sith had overwhelmed them with terrifying brutality. Most of those ground forces quietly retreated, leaving Syr-Dae and a handful of others behind.

And now, one full month later, Syr-Dae was the last. The Sith had hunted down the remaining Jedi one by one, picking them off as they gave in to the urge to confront evil head-on. When the others had stood with lightsaber drawn, Syr-Dae had turned tail and run. When the others had drawn upon the Light Side of the Force to combat their enemies, Syr-Dae had used the Force to hide his life’s presence, buried himself in the underbrush, and hid.

And he had survived. For all the good it had done him. His robes were torn and soaked through to the bone from the mists and rain of late fall. He hadn’t slept more than an hour or two every night, and often not even that. And while there was plenty of water to stave off thirst, it was bitterly cold and did nothing to fill his gaunt, starving stomach. Trial and error and reaching out with the Force had taught him which of the late-season fruits and berries were edible, but they were quickly vanishing with winter fast approaching.

And the Sith… the populated areas of this planet were teeming with them. He’d had no idea until his warship had arrive in-system how entrenched the Sith even were here. Or how steadfastly loyal the locals were to them. The Jedi truly never did have any hope of “liberating” the local people – they supported the Sith with body, heart, mind and soul. Though not all of them were sensitive to the Force, they _were_ Sith, through and through.

It was the reason he hadn’t slept. The Sith and their allies must have known, somehow, how many Jedi had remained of the ground forces from their botched invasion. A handful of hunting parties combed the mountainsides and scoured the valleys day and night, not stopping even when they had picked off all the rest of Syr-Dae’s team. The only reason Syr-Dae himself had avoided their clutches was his intense devotion to fleeing and hiding.

As the evening wind picked up under the waning light of Ghas’krull’s double suns, Syr-Dae’s ears strained to hear any signs of the distant hunting party. Ducking low to avoid the brunt of the biting rain, he shivered in a hollow beneath the roots of a fallen tree and clutched his tattered robes tightly around him. A librarian playing survivalist in a hostile woods. He sighed, his breath ghosting into a cloud. He could not hide forever.

 

* * * * *

 

Morning had dawned two hours ago, cold and wet and beautiful. Frost had formed overnight on any surface sheltered from the rain, and the drops of moisture coalescing on the silvery branches of the trees scintillated in the early morning light. It was only drizzling now, in a fine but persistent mist that made the leather and metal of Lord Vialis’s armor stick to his skin. He rode silently on his tuk’ata mount, the rest of his small hunting party hanging back just behind him on the game trail.

He was Lord of the entire sector, one of the most powerful warlords in the Shadow Imperium, and influential in both Sith Empire and Imperium circles. He could claim to be a confidante of the Imperator himself, hand-picked by Lord Scadox and Lord Meridian to be a founding member of the Sith Tribunal. Ghas’krull was his world. He had been born here seventy years ago, as Cydistus Bhorr, firstborn of three children to carry on the legacy of the influential Zabrak clan of Bhorr. And while he had often left his homeworld for many years and even decades at a time, he had returned less than a year ago to oversee a research project involving the intricate caverns and submerged waterways beneath the surface of the planet.

And now he made his way through the forest with his brother and two other companions, on his weekly morning ride. Usually they tracked crested vorndieer, nonnative hoofed mammals fleet of foot and overabundant in number, although their riding parties had of late been hunting the last of the stray Jedi from their failed attempt at a siege.

Vialis snorted to himself. That siege and the leftover ground forces of Jedi that had made up their “invasion” had been a thorn in his side for a month. His time on Ghas’krull was supposed to be a reprieve from the difficult and dangerous work he usually performed in the service of the Shadow Imperium, and just the thought of having to deal with the Republic’s oft ill-advised and ubiquitously reckless Jedi troops on his home turf made him grind his teeth.

And it was a Jedi that Vialis had ever so briefly sensed a moment ago. It had been almost nothing – a flash of uncharacteristic terror that had instantly been shielded from perception. He could only assume that the last of the surviving Jedi had spotted his mount through the trees, and must have thought that the Sith had finally caught up to them. Whoever this Jedi was, they were quite skilled at shielding themselves in the Force – he had felt their fear for only an instant, and a lesser Sith might have brushed it off as nothing. It was only Vialis’s acute skill at tracking that had enabled him to pinpoint the source of the terror.

He motioned for his hunting party to continue on down the game trail without him, while he made a wide circle through the thicket to approach the spot he had sensed the Jedi from another angle. He stretched out with the Force, applying a little misdirection as he subtly influenced any minds in the undergrowth ahead.

_There._

A scrawny Jedi, crouched behind a fallen log and peering intently into the forest in the direction that Vialis had circled back around from. He was ragged and shaking, soaked to the bone in the rain. He had a lightsaber, but instead of being in his hand ready for battle, it still hung from a belt loop at his side.

Vialis dismounted without even a rustle of his cloak or a clank of his heavy armor, and slipped closer. He came in from the side and lingered behind a large tree barely meters from his target, shielded by the Dark Side of the Force as he studied the little Jedi.

Small, fragile. The blue skin, beaklike nose, and feathery hair marked him as Omwati. Dirt and tears streaked his face, and his luminescent glow in the Force was muddled and flickering, like a candle about to be snuffed out.

And Vialis was just about to snuff that candle out, when he hesitated. His eyes scrutinized every centimeter of the quivering, oblivious Jedi. His torn robes half concealed a lithe body, a little gaunt from starvation but that was nothing a few decent meals couldn’t fix. His face was pretty underneath the grime, and the tremble of his lower lip echoed his faint yet still vibrant presence in the Force, scintillating with colour like broken pieces of a rainbow. Propelled by the desires of a whim, Vialis shrugged and suddenly stepped from behind the tree, appearing out of nowhere to loom over the little Jedi.

 

Syr-Dae had been caught completely off-guard. Even though he had seen the hunting party approach, when they had skirted the edge of the hollow he had been hiding in he had thought they had missed him, and that he might actually be safe. But the sudden appearance of a massive Zabrak Sith right in front of him shattered all hope he had of escape or survival. His knees gave out and he fell to the ground, eyes growing wide and frantic with fear. He tried to back away as the huge Sith stalked closer, but he only managed to press his back into the stump of a tree, cornering himself.

He didn’t even bother to draw his lightsaber. He’d hardly ever even used it, not even when he was supposed to be practicing daily back at the Temple. His fear completely enveloped him, and if he thought begging would have helped he would have done so in a heartbeat. But instead he just cowered where he lay, staring up at the tattooed Sith glaring down at him. Syr-Dae could feel his presence in the Force bearing down on him with a thick, visceral pressure, oozing all around him like fetid pools of boiling tar. The air around him seemed so heavy and cloistered it was getting difficult to breathe.

The Sith reached out a hand, palm up. “Lightsaber. Now.”

Without a word, Syr-Dae reached his shaky grip to his belt and pulled his hilt from it. He turned it over and dropped it into the Sith’s waiting hand.

Vialis clipped the saber to his belt, where Syr-Dae spotted two hilts of the Sith’s own, one on either side. Their smoky surfaces matched the slowly curling patterns on their owner’s heavy spiked armor, echoing the shift and pull of his presence in the Force. Syr-Dae shivered and swallowed the growing lump in his throat.

But the Sith had extended his hand again, once more palm up. He made a motion with his fingers. “Come here.”

Syr-Dae just stared up at him with wide, tear-brimmed eyes. He knew – or thought he knew – what taking that hand would do. He’d be taken away to some forsaken hole to be starved, tortured, twisted, mocked, and then if he was _very_ lucky, he’d be killed.

But his anticipatory dread was roiling in waves off of him in the Force, and it did not go unnoticed. Vialis dropped down to a crouch, hand still extended. “I have no intention of harming you, but you will do as you are told. Come. Here.”

The command in his words compelled Syr-Dae to obey. He slowly reached out a trembling hand, which was promptly engulfed in the firm grip of the Sith and he was pulled to his feet as Vialis stood back up. Syr-Dae was barely tall enough to reach his chest, but he was so weak from lack of food and sleep that he couldn’t stand for long. His knees shook so badly they threatened to give out again.

Without a word, Vialis curled an arm under the little shivering Jedi and swept him up into the crook of his elbow. He turned back to where he had left his tuk’ata, and mounted swiftly. It took mere moments for him to catch up to the rest of his hunting party as they circled back on a returning loop, and each of the Sith nodded in deference as he approached. Save for the other Zabrak in their midst, who nodded but also smirked. “Found a Jedi, have you?”

Vialis only grunted. He set Syr-Dae firmly across the front of his saddle, and they rode back the way they had come.

 

* * * * *

 

It was not a long ride – the outpost was less than two hours away. But it was enough time for Vialis to mentally probe his new acquisition, and assess his state more thoroughly.

First, there was the obvious. He was cold, wet, starving, and utterly terrified. He was so miserable and exhausted that he couldn’t even tell he was being probed. He was wallowing so deeply in fear and despair that Vialis could almost taste it in the air around him. But there was nothing he could do for any of that at the moment, other than pull the heavy fabric of his cloak forward to wrap around both himself and the little Jedi. Syr-Dae jumped and flinched as Vialis’s hand curled over his shoulders, but as soon as he could feel the warmth of the cloak around him he sank into it like a stone in water.

The two hour ride seemed to pass in a mere moment, and once they arrived at Vialis’s outpost they were met at the gate by a contingent of guards. Vialis gave them a curt nod. “Inform Lord Invictus that he does not have to delay his visit. I have found our last unaccounted-for Jedi. He is alive and I intend on claiming him.”

One of the guards tapped a fist to her chest in acknowledgment, and turned on her heel to relay the information. The other stepped up to take the reins of Vialis’s tuk’ata as he came to a stop and dismounted. “Inform the rest of the Lords this side of the mountains the rain will turn to sleet or snow by next sunrise. Winter will come early this year.”

“Yes, Lord Vialis.”

He reached up to gather Syr-Dae from the saddle. He didn’t bother setting him down, but merely tucked him back on his arm as he left his mount to the guard. “I do not wish to be disturbed for anything other than an emergency until Lord Invictus arrives.”

“As you wish, my Lord.”

Without a word of dismissal, he turned and strode into the fortress.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darth Vialis takes Syr-Dae back to his outpost.

The halls were huge. Crafted from timber gathered right there in the forest, the silvery rivulets in the wood made the light from the lanterns glint and glimmer as they passed, casting fleeting shadows across the walls. Syr-Dae’s eyes were as large and round as saucers as he glanced all around him, involuntarily pressing closer to Vialis’s chest every time they passed a member of Vialis’s outpost, burgeoning with the power of the Dark Side. Even the Sith runes carved into the metallic grain of the wood along the walls made him shiver, and finally he just squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to avoid the worst of the chills running down his spine.

Vialis turned to climb a wide staircase and finally came to the end of one of the halls, waving open a heavy carved door with the Force. He kicked it shut behind him and set Syr-Dae back on his feet before taking him by the wrist. He half-led, half-dragged Syr-Dae through what was obviously his private chambers, aiming for one pair out of several sets of arched double doors at the far end of a massive open room.

As he glanced around in open-mouthed curiosity and awe, Syr-Dae also flinched. It was opulent – beautiful, even – with vaulted ceilings carved in elegant spirals and geometric patterns inspired by both the angular lattices of crystals and the organic branching of trees. Furs lined the wooden floors, and massive picture windows looked out with a sweeping view over a wooded valley stretching out below. But there were also trophies on these elegant walls. Tapestries illustrated stylized battles between Sith and Jedi, and in between them were cases filled with Jedi lightsabers and ID medallions, and some contained sashes and cowls of the Order, still stained with what could only be their final owner’s blood.

But before Syr-Dae could gawk in horror at the rest of the room, he had been pulled through the double doors and into an expansive bathing room. Just as lavish as the one before, the room was dominated by a wide pool of still water. It was sunk deep into the ground but raised only about a foot above the stone tiled floor, patterned in mosaics of pale blue and green.

Vialis released his grip on Syr-Dae’s wrist, and he turned to grab a large towel from a display rack along the nearest wall. “Strip.”

Syr-Dae jumped at the sound of his harsh voice, but hastened to obey. As he fumbled with the clasps on his ragged robes, Vialis set the towel beside the pool and crouched to brush a hand through the water, gauging the temperature. He nodded to himself and then gestured to a low shelf along one side of the room. “Leave your clothes there. Clean yourself up. Then I will see to any wounds or injuries you have.” He leveled a finger at Syr-Dae, still half-undressed. “You try to escape or disobey me, you will be killed without hesitation. I am in no mood to be tested.” Without waiting for any response he turned and left, shutting the double doors behind him.

For a long moment Syr-Dae stood there staring at the seam between the doors, hands still on a clasp on his sash. But his situation finally caught up with him and he sank to the floor in a sudden flood of tears, shaking uncontrollably. He curled in on himself and hugged his arms, trying in vain to stifle the hiccoughs and sobs that racked his narrow frame. “Oh _stars…_ what… what am I gonna do? I don’t… I don’t wanna die…” He didn’t expect an answer to his whispers, but the sound of his own voice made him cringe. The Masters back at the Temple would have been even more disappointed if they could see him now, clinging so fearfully to his own life and not paying the least attention to the Will of the Force. Whatever that might even be, now.

He smeared an arm over his eyes and tried to choke down his tears. Even though he was shaking so badly he could barely undo the last of the clasps on his clothes, he managed to finish undressing and drag himself into the water to scrub himself clean. The water was warm, at least – as soon as he immersed himself in the pool a fine sheet of bubbles automatically percolated up from the floor of the water’s basin, adding a gentle fizz that soothed the sting of cleaning around his cuts and bruises. He didn’t know how long he was _supposed_ to take to get clean, but he knew he couldn’t just stay in the water forever. He climbed out and dried off, wrapping himself in the oversized towel that Vialis had provided for him. His legs still felt like jelly, but he managed to inch his way towards the doors. He passed by an ornately framed mirror on his way and paused to look at his reflection, cringing at how he barely recognized himself.

He looked terrible – dark circles under swollen red eyes, with a haunted hopelessness behind them. Bruises and scratches from his time trying to survive in the wilderness. A gaunt stomach from barely any nutrition and severe lack of sleep. He ran a hand over his face and sighed, his breath trembling as he tucked the towel tighter around him and turned back to the door. He rested a hand on its silvery wood, hesitating to push it open. But his fear of the repercussions of not immediately returning to the terrifying Sith Lord overcame him, and he tried to swallow his trepidation as he pushed forward and slipped through the door.

Vialis was sitting on a wide couch across the opulent room, reading a datapad. His spiked armor had been removed, and he wore a loose black robe edged with red embroidery and open at the chest, revealing the intricate geometric tattoos of the Sith and a necklace inset with a dark, angular stone. His aura in the Force was smoky and boiling, thick and heady with the Dark Side. One arm was draped across the arm of the couch, the fingers of one hand picking at a bowl of grapes beside a steaming plate of food on the end table. What appeared to be an open medkit was sitting on a cushioned dais in front of the couch, and he glanced up as Syr-Dae lingered on the threshold of the room, gesturing to the dais before him. “Come here. Sit down.”

Syr-Dae hastened to obey. He was already shaking violently again, but he knew there was no helping it. At least his knees didn’t give out as he crossed the room.

He sat facing the Sith Lord, his gaze studiously focused down on his own hands folded in his lap. With one motion Vialis leaned forward to strip the towel from Syr-Dae, and he could feel his eyes on him, studying him from head to toe. “Hm. You’re not in too bad of shape. Considering.” He tucked two fingers under Syr-Dae’s chin and tilted his head up and to the side, eyeing some of the bruises he’d acquired while he had been in the wilderness. “I already assume you're exhausted. You have obviously over-exerted yourself while you were in hiding. How do you feel? Are you ill? Sore? You may answer.” He released Syr-Dae’s chin and plucked a vial from the medkit, popping the top and dumping some of its liquid contents onto his palm.

Syr-Dae’s words came out as a stammer as he tried to reply. “I-I don't think I’m sick, b-but I am sore – s-sir.”

The _sir_ made Vialis smirk as he rubbed his palms together to distribute the balm. “My name is Darth Vialis. I am Lord of this sector. ‘Sir’ is an acceptable honorific, but proper address is ‘my Lord’. You will not be faulted for either. Hold still.”

Syr-Dae tried his best to comply as Vialis took either side of his face in his hands, pressing his fingers in surprisingly gentle circles from his temples down to his jawline. He slowly worked his way down Syr-Dae’s neck and throat, and even though Syr-Dae was doing his damnedest to do as he was told he still couldn’t help but flinch and tremble under the Sith Lord’s touch. But Vialis chose to ignore it, replenishing the balm on his hands as he worked. He rubbed circles into Syr-Dae’s shoulders and arms, down to his wrists and even through to his fingers.

Perhaps there was some sort of muscle relaxer combined with the kolto in the balm, because Syr-Dae began to feel a little less of the tension that had seemed to be the only thing holding himself together for so long. Despite his shaking, he could feel the balm absorb into his skin and seep down into his over-strained muscles, soothing the aches that had settled deep into his body and healing the bruises he had sustained over the past month.

But he still jumped when Vialis spoke again. “Lie back.”

He hadn’t immediately obeyed, and with a firm hand Vialis pushed Syr-Dae to lie flat on his back on the dais. He poured another dose onto his hands and leaned over Syr-Dae to rub the salve into his chest and stomach. He worked it into his hips and ghosted his palms over Syr-Dae’s groin, chuckling when he received a flinch and a whimper from the little Jedi. But he didn’t linger – another dose of balm and he continued his way down each of Syr-Dae’s legs, down through to his toes. “Roll over.”

Syr-Dae complied and twisted to lie on his stomach, shaking and wincing at every touch Vialis gave him. The Sith Lord started again at his shoulder blades and worked his way down his back, going more slowly this time as he let the circles he made with his fingers work deeper into Syr-Dae’s thin muscles. This time he did linger at the small of his back, stopping for a moment to wrap his tattooed fingers around the bones of Syr-Dae’s hips.

Syr-Dae could feel desire percolate through Vialis’s thick, oppressive presence in the Force. A knot of fear formed in the pit of Syr-Dae’s stomach, and he couldn’t mask a violent shudder of anticipatory dread.

But Vialis moved on. He worked his way down Syr-Dae’s ass and the backs of his thighs without drawing out his contact, and finally let go of Syr-Dae to wipe his hands off on the towel and cap the vial. He placed it back in the medkit and pulled out a small bottle, shaking out two small capsules. “You’re running too warm. Sit up.”

Syr-Dae obediently squirmed around to get himself upright on the dais again, wobbling a little.

Vialis leaned to the side, bypassing the medkit to reach for the end table beside the couch. He snatched up a glass there filled with liquid, and gestured with it to Syr-Dae. “This is water.” His other hand came up, the little capsules between his fingers. “These are mild sedatives and pain killers. They will reduce your fever. Open your mouth.”

Syr-Dae did as he was told, and Vialis slipped the capsules under his tongue and offered him the glass. “Swallow.”

Even though Syr-Dae took the glass in both hands, they shook so badly that Vialis had to cup his hands with his own to keep him from dropping the glass. But the water tasted clear and cold, and soothed his throat that still felt raw from sobbing. He drank all of it before Vialis set the glass back down on the end table.

“Do you need more?”

“No, s– my Lord.” Syr-Dae kept his eyes down.

“Mm.” Vialis’s hands moved to the tray of food, and he scooped up a forkful of food before holding it up to Syr-Dae’s lips. “Open.”

Syr-Dae obeyed. It took Vialis nearly twenty minutes to feed his captive, not trusting Syr-Dae’s shaking hands to use utensils. Every few moments he asked him the one-word query of _more?_ and Syr-Dae always answered with a nod. The plate was nearly gone by the time he shook his head. Vialis returned the plate to the end table and got to his feet. He offered Syr-Dae a hand. “Come with me.”

Blushing at his own swift compliance, Syr-Dae took the offered hand. Vialis pulled him to his feet and led him back across the room, only this time taking him through a different set of doors that opened up into a luxurious bedroom.

The same kind of furs lined the floors here, but the tapestries on these walls were adorned not with Sith victorious over vanquished Jedi, but with stylized images of native animals and spectacular scenery. In the center of the room was a circular bed, adorned with plush pillows and draped with the sheer fabric of a canopy hanging from the arched ceiling.

Vialis brought Syr-Dae to the edge of that bed and picked him up easily by his waist. He set him down on the edge and turned to wave open a wardrobe door with the Force. He selected one of his own shirts from inside and turned back to Syr-Dae, flicking a gesture with a hand to indicate he should raise his arms. Syr-Dae did so, and the Sith Lord slipped the shirt over Syr-Dae’s narrow frame. As he buttoned down the shirt that was clearly far too large for someone as tiny as the Jedi, he eyed his strained, exhausted face. “Tell me your name.”

“Syr –” He choked on his own name and swallowed. “Syr-Dae Kelara, my Lord.”

“You are the last surviving Jedi Knight that attempted to invade this world. Your forces have been crushed. No one will come for you.”

He managed a miserable nod. “I-I know, my Lord.”

“Do you, now.” Vialis tilted his horned head and probed with the Force into Syr-Dae’s mind. He faced very little resistance – the little Jedi clearly had precious little defensive training, and even if he had, he was far too frightened and exhausted to use it. Vialis methodically poked around in Syr-Dae’s memories, and saw the trouble the inquisitive nature of his newly-acquired captive had caused. He saw the innocent yet persistent questioning that Syr-Dae had expressed to his Order, the curiosity over mysteries in the Force that were forbidden to him without explanation, the confusion over conflicting and ill-devised rules and regulations that he was also forbidden to examine. He saw the private research into Force traditions beyond that of the Jedi, the fascination and appreciation of things his Order found heretical. He saw the final straw, the sudden order to join the front lines of a doomed assault on Vialis’s world.

He didn’t hide what he was pulling from Syr-Dae’s mind, and the little Jedi hung his head in shame. He was all too aware of how terrible he was at being a proper Jedi Knight, and knew how laughable and pathetic and utterly useless he had turned out to be.

But Vialis did not laugh at his memories. He only frowned, mostly to himself, as if he was not surprised at the Jedi Order’s response to Syr-Dae’s behavior. “Hm.”

He abruptly turned and strode out of the room, leaving Syr-Dae to fidget and fret on the edge of the bed for a long awkward moment. But he returned quickly, carrying the datapad he had left out in the other room. He brushed by Syr-Dae and settled himself into bed, flicking on his datapad to read. He seemed to forget that Syr-Dae was even there, focusing his attention on reading the daily reports of his subordinates. But after a few minutes he waved a hand at Syr-Dae, never taking his eyes from the datapad. He tugged at him lightly with the Force. “Come here.”

With a hard swallow, Syr-Dae obeyed and climbed under the blankets to settle nervously into the spot next to Vialis that he indicated. The massive Sith curled an arm around him, absently running his thumb over the back of Syr-Dae’s elbow as he turned his attention back fully to his datapad.

Syr-Dae still couldn’t stop shaking. But it was hard not to notice that for the first time in a month he wasn’t in any sort of physical pain or even discomfort. This terrifying Sith Lord had seen to it that he as warm, dry, fed, and comfortable, and Syr-Dae’s mind reeled in confusion as he tried to figure out why. His naturally curious nature had him turning in mental circles wondering why he wasn’t being tortured, but he was far too afraid to risk changing that by asking.

But Vialis had an acute perception of the Force, and he sensed the little Jedi’s growing confusion. He closed the datapad and looked down at Syr-Dae. “You are being treated well because I have claimed you. You are mine to do with as I please. It currently pleases me to have you in good condition.” He ran a finger under Syr-Dae’s chin and smirked at the shudder the contact incited. “You are attractive and obedient. With a mind refreshingly absent of arrogance or self-righteousness. For a Jedi. That is more than enough to encourage me to keep you in one piece.”

Syr-Dae bit his lip, not knowing if he was supposed to respond. But Vialis took the uncertainty away in seconds as he wrapped his hands around Syr-Dae’s waist and pulled him up to straddle his lap. Syr-Dae squeaked at the contact and made an instinctual move to struggle, but quickly checked himself and just sat there, trembling.

“Good boy.” Vialis made a pleased rumbling in the back of his throat that almost sounded like a purr. He reached his hands under the shirt he had dressed Syr-Dae in, running his palms up his rib cage and back down again to hold his hips. He slowly started to rock Syr-Dae back and forth, his eyes lingering at the spot where the loose collar of the shirt fell to expose the line of the little Jedi’s throat. “Relax. I won’t hurt you.”

Relaxing was entirely out of the question. But Syr-Dae tried his best to make himself as pliant as possible, given the panic rising from the pit of his stomach.

Vialis flexed his grip on Syr-Dae’s hips, pressing him down against his groin. Even through the fabric of his robes, Syr-Dae could feel just how hard the Sith Lord already had grown. And just how… very _large_ he was. The knot of dread deep in the pit of his stomach wound itself even tighter.

But his mind was still wide open to the Sith Lord, and Vialis snorted lightly. “You have an uncanny ability to assume the worst possible outcome.”

Once again Syr-Dae didn’t know if he was supposed to respond, but all that came out was a whimper anyway.

Vialis ignored the sound. He slid a hand between Syr-Dae’s straddled legs, lifting his shirt out of the way to expose his skin. He took the little Jedi’s soft length in one of his large hands and slowly stroked him, all the while using his other hand to continue rocking his hips back and forth.

It felt good – Syr-Dae couldn’t deny _that,_ but he was too terrified for it to do anything for him other than quicken his already-ragged breathing.

Vialis must not have truly expected for Syr-Dae to get anywhere in the arousal department, because his hands soon strayed over the rest of Syr-Dae’s body. “Keep rolling your hips.” He released his grip on Syr-Dae and slid a hand against his own clothes, unclasping his robes and pulling the sash free to release his own length from the confines of the fabric.

Syr-Dae jumped when Vialis’s cock bounced free from his clothes, and jumped again when he pulled Syr-Dae forward to press their lengths together, taking them both into one of his large hands as he stroked them together. His free hand made its way to the small of Syr-Dae’s back and he rocked Syr-Dae against his body, timing it to the strokes between their legs.

Syr-Dae had been trying not to touch the massive Sith, but the pressure on his back tipped him forward and he couldn’t help but brace himself with his hands against Vialis’s chest. It drew a rumble of mild amusement from the Sith Lord, who pulled him closer, nearly flush against him. Syr-Dae could feel his breath against his neck, and he flinched when he felt his tongue dart out to run along the shell of his ear.

“I won’t hurt you,” he whispered, reiterating what he had already said in case the Jedi had already forgotten it. He had quickly grown rock-hard between them, and Syr-Dae could feel his desire seeping through the Force.

Indeed, all Vialis wanted to do was flip the little Jedi over and fuck him into the mattress, but he also didn’t want to break his new plaything the moment he first had opportunity to play with him. Instead he sat up and leaned forward to rest Syr-Dae on the bed, flat on his back. The Jedi’s slender legs splayed around Vialis’s body as he leaned forward on his knees between Syr-Dae’s thighs, the Sith’s thick cock dripping precum onto his flaccid length.

He grabbed his own dick and stroked it steadily, rubbing the head against Syr-Dae’s. He kept his eyes on the little Jedi’s face, watching with amusement as he tried to look everywhere but up at Vialis before finally squeezing his eyes shut.

That wouldn’t do. “Look at me.”

He obeyed, but now that he was staring up at him Vialis could see the tears building in the corners of his eyes. He leaned forward to place a light, almost chaste kiss on Syr-Dae’s cheek. “I’m going to come on you, clean you up, and then we are going to lie in bed and rest until my guests arrive. Can you handle that? Answer honestly.”

Syr-Dae started to nod – if that was truly all, then it shouldn’t be that bad. But his nod faltered and he ended up shaking his head, his whole body following suit in a fit of trembling. The tears came then, silently streaming down his face.

It wasn’t a response Vialis had been expecting, but he was prepared for it all the same. With one smooth motion he flicked the precum off his dick and clasped the sash back around his robes, settling back to where he had been a moment ago on the bed. He extended both hands to Syr-Dae. “Alright. Come here.”

Bewildered and no less terrified, Syr-Dae faltered but managed to sit up and climb haltingly back onto Vialis’s lap.

Vialis didn’t have him straddle his legs again, though. Instead he pulled him sideways across his lap and curled Syr-Dae against him, pressing the side of Syr-Dae’s face against his neck with surprising gentleness. “I will not tell you not to cry. I’m not about to give impossible commands.”

Syr-Dae attempted to take in as steady a breath as he could and tried not to cry anyway. _There is no emotion, there is peace,_ but the words rang hollow in his head. He was more than half expecting the Sith Lord to backhand him across the room or kick him off the bed for being so weak-willed and so terribly, terribly fragile.

His thoughts permeated his presence in the Force, and Vialis _hmm_ ed to himself. He knew that he wasn’t currently behaving in a manner entirely consistent with the Jedi’s expectations of a Sith Lord, nor were his words the embodiment of harsh cruelty that Syr-Dae had probably been trained to anticipate from one of his kind. And while he didn’t _need_ to explain himself to a mere captive, perhaps it could ease a fraction of the tension roiling inside the little Jedi if he had a better grasp of what was going on.

One large hand wrapped around Syr-Dae’s shoulder and squeezed lightly. “Do not mistake this for mercy. You are here for my pleasure. But I have had my fill of breaking defiance. Forcing the unwilling into submission. I am tired of the game. I would rather have something I can enjoy without fighting for every moment. Without turning my time I should be able to _relax_ into yet another battle of wills and punishments.” He sighed and tucked a stray strand of feathery hair behind Syr-Dae’s ear. “I am patient. I can wait. If you are too frightened to even remember how to breathe, I won’t force you.”

Syr-Dae blinked up at him, his lower lip trembling. He had no idea how he was supposed to respond, so he just made a tiny nod.

The hand on his shoulder stroked light circles over the fabric of his shirt, and he shivered a little as Vialis adjusted his position on his lap for better mutual comfort. Vialis leaned his head back against the pillows and closed his eyes, letting his other hand roam lightly over Syr-Dae’s thigh and knee. He meant every word he had said to the little Jedi – being able to unwind and relax without having to stay one step ahead of a combative captive was very much his goal. He remained silent, and didn't bother letting his hands stray anywhere else. He could tell Syr-Dae was still tense and emotionally raw around the edges, but his shaking had lessened considerably, and his breath wasn't hitching with half-stifled sobs anymore. He also knew Syr-Dae was too exhausted to do much else. He glanced down at the Jedi and gave his shoulder another light squeeze. “Close your eyes. Rest. Sleep if you can.”

Obediently, Syr-Dae closed his eyes as he was told, mind still running at hyperspeed. But his body was running on deficit energy, and despite his fear he was still curled up against warmth and surprisingly gentle physical contact.

He fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This entire story isn't terribly graphic on the noncon as far as a lot of stories go, but ehhhh. Better safe than sorry with tagging. Syr-Dae is a cinnamon roll and deserves only the fuzziest of blankets and the gooiest of chocolate chip cookies.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lord Vialis takes Syr-Dae up into the tower of his outpost, to meet with his visiting guests.

It was only a few hours of rest before a chime at the door woke both Sith and Jedi. Syr-Dae startled away, reflexes making him struggle for a split second before he remembered where he was and froze. Vialis ignored the moment of panic and gently slid him off of his lap, rising and leaving the bedroom to answer the chime, leaving the door open on his way out.

Syr-Dae waited where he was, peering through the doorway and straining his hearing to listen to what was going on. Another Sith was at the door – from the quiet words Syr-Dae could hear, she informed Vialis that their guests would be arriving within the hour, and Darth Invictus had sent word that he was eager to reunite with Lord Vialis after many months away.

Vialis acknowledged her information and turned back to the bedroom, bypassing Syr-Dae on the bed to open a wardrobe. He methodically strapped on his spiked armor, the swirling patterns over its surface churning rapidly with the initial contact with his skin. As he donned his belt, he turned to study Syr-Dae. His eyes ran up and down his form, but this time his gaze was not full of lust, but of practical contemplation. “Hmm.” With a final check to ensure his lightsabers were secure at his side, he pulled out a commlink and tapped the button on the side. “Tarandus?”

The comm crackled once. “Yes?”

“Our storage facility. Does it still contain some of our childhood finery?”

The voice on the other end of the comm chuckled. “Dressing up your new little Jedi pet to meet the Imperator?”

Vialis simply grunted an affirmative.

“Alright, give me a few minutes to find something, and I’ll bring it up.”

“Thank you.”

The comm clicked off, and Vialis tucked it back into his belt as he approached the side of the bed. His eyes were still on Syr-Dae, only this time a glimmer of desire shone through. He reached a hand out to brush his thumb over Syr-Dae’s lower lip. “…You are beautiful.”

Syr-Dae couldn’t help the warm rush of blood to his face, and he dropped his eyes to the floor.

Vialis ran his fingers through the feathery strands of Syr-Dae’s hair, smoothing them out to lie more neatly against his head. He leaned forward to place a light and gentle kiss on Syr-Dae’s forehead, before slipping his hands down Syr-Dae’s neck and shoulders to slowly unbutton the shirt he had slept in.

The shaking started again the moment Vialis’s hands left Syr-Dae’s hair. But Syr-Dae tried his best not to flinch away from the Sith’s soft touch, even when he had finished opening up the shirt and slowly slipped it off of his shoulders. Vialis bent down to brush lips against the side of Syr-Dae’s neck, making the little Jedi’s breath hitch as he gripped the edge of the bed with white-knuckled hands.

But the door chimed again. Vialis patted Syr-Dae’s shoulder before he left the room again, and Syr-Dae blew out a breath as he craned his neck to see who had entered this time.

It was the other Zabrak from the hunting party that Vialis had been with when he had caught Syr-Dae. He handed Vialis a small stack of folded clothes and flicked his eyes to the cracked-open bedroom door. “I dug out a few things that might work.”

“Thank you, Tarandus.”

He raised an eyebrow and gestured with a finger in the direction of Vialis’s bedroom. “Are you seriously going to bring the Jedi with you to welcome the Imperator?”

Vialis just shrugged. “I will do as I please.”

Tarandus cracked half a smile and shook his head. “You always do. I hope the Imperator is entertained.”

“It matters not if he is.”

“…If you say so.” Tarandus gave his brother a small bow and ducked out the door. Vialis closed it softly behind him and strode back through his chambers, returning to the bedroom and setting the small pile of clothes beside Syr-Dae. “Arms out.”

Syr-Dae obeyed, and the Sith Lord began dressing him in elegant clothes of suedes and furs. “I am welcoming the Lord Imperator, Darth Invictus, to my world. You will follow. You will do as you are told, and you will not speak unless requested to do so.”

Syr-Dae managed a nod. “Yes, m-my Lord.”

Nodding in approval, Vialis pulled him to his feet to finish dressing him and took him by the hand. Leading him out of his chambers, he brought him down a long hall adorned with massive, imposing statues of ancient Sith Lords. Syr-Dae gawked in awe as they passed, but he didn’t have much time to linger. They arrived at an alcove containing a large lift, which took them rapidly up into the main tower of Vialis’s outpost. It’s final stop was an expansive and ornate room like Vialis’s personal quarters, only the arched ceilings here were inlaid with sharp obsidian geometry, and the furs lining the wooden floors were black in their entirety. One end of the room was completely open to the outside, revealing a wide landing platform extending out in a triangle from the tower like a giant spearpoint. Just inside the room stood Tarandus, and Vialis strode with a purpose to his side, tugging Syr-Dae along with him.

Tarandus gave Syr-Dae a quick once-over before nodding to Vialis, who reached out a hand to lightly grip his brother’s shoulder. They both turned to the landing platform and focused their attention on a sleek shuttle preparing to land.

It was preceded by a pair of Sith starfighters, heavily armed and powerfully shielded. Their pilots emerged and slid to the ground, standing at stiff attention as the shuttle deployed its landing gear and made contact with the platform with a hiss of released top-gassing. The boarding ramp lowered, and a brace of attendants emerged. They lined up alongside the pilots and they too stood at attention, backs straight and eyes forward. They were followed by two Sith Lords, arm in arm. One of them was Mikkian, pale and ethereal, her hair tendrils floating as if in water all around her head. The other was a tall and lithe Kaleesh warrior, clad in bone armor and face concealed by the infamous war mask of their people.

Tarandus and Vialis nodded to both of them, but only Vialis spoke. “Lord Dirae. Lord Noct.”

Both nodded in turn, and Dirae cracked him a small smile. “A rare pleasure, Lord Vialis.” She cast her eyes to linger for a brief moment on Syr-Dae, but she didn’t ask any questions. She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow, but Vialis’s stony stare made her shrug as she moved past him to the opulent room beyond.

Following the pair of Sith Lords was another one, a Myke dressed in the finest embroidered leather and silk that Syr-Dae had ever seen. He was slender and tall, but he still didn’t even reach Vialis’s shoulders. He shrugged a greeting to both Vialis and Tarandus, and even made a nod to Syr-Dae, followed by a radiant smile. Syr-Dae would have blushed in pleased shyness, but the Myke’s aura in the Force suddenly hit him hard. A sharp and malicious vitriol lurked behind that beautiful smile, and he did nothing to hide it.

“Lord Carnis.” Tarandus had given him a little bow as he passed.

“What’s up, Tarandus? Been a while. Still lingering in big brother’s shadow?”

Tarandus gave him a thin smile, but said nothing. Vialis however, gave a dismissive snort. “Much like you.”

The smile vanished from Carnis’s pretty face, replaced by a sneer. “I sulk behind no one’s shadow.”

But a voice from the ship behind him cut through their conversation, and another Myke stepped down from the boarding ramp. “Enough, Carnis.”

He was just as tall as the other Myke, but somehow cut a much more imposing figure. His aura in the Force seemed to crawl with the faint and faded whispers of the ghosts of a thousand worlds, all other sound muffled like a forest under freshly fallen snow. An unassuming Tholothian hung lightly on one of his arms, relaxed and seemingly oblivious to the tension between some of other Sith present.

Both Vialis and Tarandus bowed low at the Myke’s presence, and Vialis rumbled a greeting. “My Lord Invictus. You honor us with your presence.” Almost as an afterthought he added, “And Hirudo M’rod’n.”

Invictus waved them both up with an eyeroll. “Hardly necessary. How have things been on Ghas’krull? I received word of the supposed invasion from Jedi forces, and was recommended to delay my coming.” He moved past them and into the elegant room, motioning for Vialis and company to follow.

“It was shortlived. They had poor intel. Ground forces were deployed. Remaining forces retreated soon after. Jedi on the ground were eliminated one by one.”

Invictus tilted his head to eyeball Syr-Dae. “Your report mentioned a lone survivor. I assume this is he.”

Vialis gave a nod. “Yes. I have claimed him.”

He received a single raised eyebrow from Invictus. “That is an outdated practice left over from the Sith Empire, Vialis. Has not the Shadow Imperium grown beyond such barbarism? Much _less_ its Tribunal elite.”

But Vialis only grunted. “Some traditions will still linger on. Sith were born to conquer.”

Invictus waved away his words and snorted. “On this we will disagree. Keep him if you wish, but you know well that I will not tolerate any abuse of the helpless, Jedi or no.”

“Understood.”

Invictus’s gaze lingered on Syr-Dae for a moment longer, and it took Syr-Dae just that long to realize that the Imperator’s words had been meant for his ears as well. He managed to give the intimidating Sith a tiny smile in an awkward attempt to signal he’d heard what he had said.

Invictus nodded once before he suddenly turned with his Tholothian companion and walked towards the other end of the lavish room, aiming for a semi-circle of couches set around a low table and facing a thick stone fireplace. “Come, show me the data on this cavern you have found.”

The whole group of Sith, plus one tiny Jedi, made their way over to the couches and sat down. Vialis flicked a few switches built into the table, bringing up a terminal that quickly projected a holo of a 3D map. It illustrated the surface terrain of the mountains and valleys outside, but with another press of a button the projection dove beneath the surface to reveal rivulets and tunnels leading down into a series of caverns. Another display overlaid the caverns, highlighting certain spots and bringing up holocam pictures beside the map of crystalline formations.

Vialis gestured to the hologram. “It is like Ilum in miniature.”

Invictus raised both eyebrows, and the Tholothian sitting beside him leaned forward in curiosity. “And the quality of the crystals?”

Vialis gestured to his brother, and Tarandus pulled out a small but ornate box from beside the couch. He unlatched and opened it, turning it to present its contents to the Imperator.

From Syr-Dae’s position on the semi-circle, he could just barely see contents of the box. Inside were a half-dozen metallic crystals, shapes reminiscent of the iron roses that hematite formed into under exceptional conditions. They were all very dark in colour, and pulsed slowly with subtle variations of luminescence.

The Tholothian reached forward and took the box from Tarandus’s hands, fascinated. “This crystal structure forms a rhombohedral lattice system, and judging from the cavern holograms, these crystals must have precipitated out of a mineral-rich hot spring. The whole cave system must have been filled with water at one point.”

“Some of them still are.” Vialis pointed to the lower portion of the map. “These tunnels. They are still entirely submerged. The heat is too great for my teams. They cannot handle it. We have only sent in remotes to get the mapping data.”

“Crystals are still forming, then. Wonderful. This is fascinating.”

Vialis inclined his head. “We have already tested them in lightsabers. They are stable and strong.”

Invictus glanced over at his companion. “Seems as though your ideal scenario is true, Hirudo.”

The Tholothian flashed him a smile as he set the box containing the crystals on the table, but his words were for Vialis. “May we see an instance of its use?”

Without a word, Vialis unclipped one of the lightsabers from his belt. He cracked open the case and tilted it towards Invictus and Hirudo, so they could see the crystal slowly pulsating inside before he snapped it shut again. He ignited the blade and held it out steadily.

It was incredibly dark at the hilt, almost black. But as it reached the tip of the blade the light became brilliant, slowly pulsing with a deep crimson red infused with hints of other metallic colour. Vialis flourished the blade, and the hum it made as it sliced through the air echoed in a lower pitch than any other lightsaber Syr-Dae had heard. Vialis sheathed his lightsaber and sat back down, head tilted for Invictus and Hirudo’s input.

Hirudo’s eyes were glittering. Invictus quirked a tiny half-smile at his companion and rested a hand lightly on his knee. “Would you like to stay for a while, for your research?”

“Yes, I would.” He reached a hand over to fish one of the crystals out of the box, and began examining it with an eye lens pulled from a pocket on the chest of his robes. “I wish to study the caverns and assist you in determining if it is sustainable in the long run to harvest the crystals for lightsaber use on a moderate scale.”

Vialis inclined his head. “We have made significant progress in that regard already. But your assistance would be valuable.”

Syr-Dae’s eyes had grown huge at the sight of Vialis’s lightsaber blade, and now he found his gaze riveted on the crystals sitting in the box on the table. His natural curiosity drew him closer, and he leaned forward and to the side in an effort to get a better look at them.

His inquisitiveness had not gone unnoticed. As Hirudo began talking about the technical properties of the mineral, Vialis brushed a hand over one of Syr-Dae’s shoulders. It made him jump, but Vialis ignored his nerves and leaned forward to pull one of the crystals out of the box. He dropped it into Syr-Dae’s hands, then gently picked him up and set him on his knee.

Syr-Dae saw Invictus raise an eyebrow at him and Vialis from the corner of his eye, but the Imperator said nothing and instead directed clarifying questions at Hirudo about the crystals’ formation. Dirae and Noct chimed in with some questions of their own, and while their talk went right over Syr-Dae’s head it was… strangely soothing. A half-dozen Sith Lords just sitting around, talking about crystals, without throwing threats of violence in each others’ faces? Syr-Dae let out a tiny sigh of relief as he turned the unusual crystal over in his hands, and even managed to settle himself more comfortably on Vialis’s knee.

But Carnis yawned and stretched from where he sat on the couch, eyes cast up to the ceiling. “Look, this is all really cool and all, but unless I’m going to be getting one of those crystals in my _own_ blade any time soon, I don’t see why I need to be here.”

Invictus narrowed his eyes. “You didn’t have to come.”

He received a scoff and a shrug in return. “Whatever.” He got up and ambled away, heading for the turbolift at the far end of the room.

Both Dirae and Noct’s eyes were on him as he left, and Dirae’s soft voice drifted like water over pebbles to the Imperator. “Is it alright to leave your brother unsupervised, Lord Invictus?”

He sighed. “He is often vexing, but he needs no babysitter.”

Noct snorted and made a slashing motion with their hand. “No, he just needs a leash.”

Tarandus rose from his spot beside Vialis and brushed his hands on the front of his robes. “I will go keep him company, if he desires it.” He made his way to the lift, and just managed to join Carnis on it before it descended down into the lower levels of the tower.

The Imperator leaned back in his seat and pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. “…Carnis will not be on the Tribunal much longer.”

“Really.” Noct’s head had snapped up, and they stared intently at Invictus. “Do you already have someone in mind for a replacement?”

“Mm. A few.” He gestured into the air. “Darth Litore has come up multiple times, and is someone that I am sure the entire Tribunal would approve of.” He received a round of assenting murmurs from all the Sith present, and he shrugged. “Though I truly wish that we could drag Darth Belus away from his books and holocrons.”

Dirae chuckled. “You would have more luck coaxing a granite slug to sprout wings, my Lord.”

Beside her, Noct nodded in agreement. “Either choice would be both prudent and wise. But since Belus has long been unwilling to acquiesce, when the time comes for the Tribunal to induct another member you have my approval for Litore.”

Dirae and Vialis echoed the same, and their discussion drifted back to the caverns and the crystals they contained.

Syr-Dae had very little idea of what they were talking about anyway, but he was content enough to just sit there on Vialis’s lap, fidgeting with the rose-shaped crystal he had been given. It scintillated in the firelight of the hearth, casting bands of shadowed refraction onto the palm of his hand as he turned it over with his fingers.

Vialis idly ran a hand slowly up and down his spine as he conversed with the other Sith, and although it made Syr-Dae blush the light contact was not intended to arouse him. In fact, as Syr-Dae got used to the feeling he could also sense a heavy but gentle pressure in the Force, pulling in all around him. It was thick and smoky and too-warm, but soothing at the same time, like a protective shell. Vialis slowly pulled Syr-Dae in closer, pressing him up against his side and leaning Syr-Dae’s head on his shoulder. The conversation of the rest of the Sith drifted from subject to subject about events too far-removed from Syr-Dae’s own life for him to know what they were talking about, and as Syr-Dae closed his eyes in a valiant attempt to relax, it fell to just a quiet ambient noise to his ears. Vialis’s hand moved to his head, gently threading through his feathery hair and making his blush deepen. But it also felt nice, and none of the strange Sith seemed to be immediately threatening around them. It might have been because he was still exhausted – his previous sleep had only been a few hours at most and certainly not enough to get him fully rested – but his attempt to relax began to succeed, and he fell into a doze.

 

* * * * *

 

When Syr-Dae finally woke up, it was to Vialis’s hands slipping around his waist to gently pull him upright. He rapidly blinked the sleep away from his eyes and looked around, surprised to hear the lack of background conversation and suddenly aware that they were alone.

Vialis set Syr-Dae on his feet, keeping his hands around his waist until Syr-Dae found his balance. “Our guests have retired for the night. We will return to my chambers.” He stood up and offered Syr-Dae his hand. He took it with a slowly renewing sense of trepidation, and reluctantly followed Vialis back down to his rooms.

But whatever Syr-Dae had been afraid of happening never materialized. He was ushered back into Vialis’s bedroom and undressed, only to be redressed in one of Vialis’s oversized shirts once again. He was settled in bed and Vialis tucked himself up behind him, pulling him back to lie flush with his bare chest. His slow, measured breathing and the steady beat of his twin hearts lulled Syr-Dae into deeper relaxation, and he finally fell into a long, much-needed sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't mind me, sandwiching as many Opening Dialogue characters in here as I possibly can 8D


End file.
